Funds help city complete projects

Wednesday, August 17, 2011By Lindsay Reed

In August of 2010, the Cassville City Council authorized the execution and delivery of $1,180,000 in certificates of participation (COPs) for a $1,000,000 lease agreement. As Cassville aldermen consider a possible utility rate increase, many area citizens have asked how the COPs have been used.

Last summer, the Cassville Council identified 10 urgent projects that would be completed with the lease agreement funding. Many of those projects have been completed at this time. Others remain on the pending projects list.

Currently, $450,823.51 of the COPs have been used. Project expenses in the amount of $206,292.39 are pending, and $342,884.10 remains available for future expenses.

In 2010, the city documented the following expenses, which were paid for with lease purchase funding: three roots blowers installed at the wastewater treatment plant, $4,100; waterline extension to Security Bank, $14,165.80; and Sherwood Forest street improvements, $96,354.94.

This year, the Cassville Council has approved $336,202.77 in expenditures, including $2,930.88 used to finish the Security Bank waterline extension and Sherwood Forest street improvement projects.

Most of the remaining expenses account for maintenance and repairs at the city's wastewater treatment plant. For instance, the city purchased a Vulcan VMR Multi-rake Barscreen, which is used to filter solid materials at the plant, at a cost of $138,446.

The city also spent $32,000 to rent a temporary barscreen until the new piece of equipment could be installed. That expense was paid for using general funds.

Other items purchased for the wastewater treatment plant included: 414 filter panels, $86,916.37; a catwalk, $8,550.35; and confined space equipment, $5,445.19. The catwalk and confined space equipment were needed to improve safety at the plant.

The city also completed an aeration basin improvement project, which cost $8,665.95.

The remaining $85,248.03 was spent on the following projects: water tower engineering, $1,394.92; bypass elimination plan, $28,976.61; leak detection at Sixth and Main Streets, $1,200; and well #2 renovation, $53,676.50.

According to current plans, the city has reserved $73,023.39 more in COPs for the bypass elimination plan, which has been requested by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The plan is designed to eliminate Cassville's stormwater inflow and infiltration problems and the need for a bypass at the city's lagoon during times of high water.

The price of the entire bypass elimination project has not yet been determined. The city has received $10,000 in DREAM grant funding to help pay for planning and project design.

In addition to the bypass elimination plan, six expenditures remain on the pending projects list to be funded by lease purchase monies. Those include: an automatic V-gate influent chamber and diversion box value at the wastewater treatment plant, $14,000; Southern Hills Subdivision street bores, $28,000; and water tower maintenance, $53,903.

The city also plans to install a digester aerator for the sludge holding tank at the treatment plant, which will cost $26,066. A pressure valve will be needed for the Security Bank waterline extension. The value will cost $11,300.

According to the city's original budget, the Sherwood Forest street project was estimated to cost $125,000. The total expense for that project will likely be $125,653.27.

City officials are predicting that the wastewater treatment plant equipment replacements and waterline extension to Security Bank will also be over budget. A total of $275,000 was originally budgeted for the treatment plant replacements, but those costs are estimated to be $292,189.86. The city budgetted $25,000 for the waterline extension project. Actual costs are estimated to be around $27,098.35.